Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
#1Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/29/13 at 10:29pmWas surprised to see her. Wasn't she great? Is she still retired? She popped up on this and a recent SUV episode.
ILuv2shop531
Broadway Star Joined: 7/12/07
#2Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/29/13 at 10:33pmI was surprised as well, but happy to see her. I guess she is still performing for select events.
Tink2
Stand-by Joined: 8/7/08
#2Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/29/13 at 10:34pmYes! She was great! So were Sutton, Patina and Anna. Love Kathy Bates. It was a very nice tribute to Shirley. Shirley is one of a kind.
ILuv2shop531
Broadway Star Joined: 7/12/07
#3Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/29/13 at 10:45pmCall me crazy, but wasn't Laura Osnes in the audience and had tweeted she was there? I mean she could have just been watching but I assumed she wouldn't just have taken off from Cinderella to simply attend. I doubt she is involved in Billy Joel but I could be surprised. I expected her to be involved in the Shirley tribute.
#4Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/29/13 at 11:06pmI assumed Laura was invited as a former performer... wasn't she in the Barbara Cooke tribute?
ILuv2shop531
Broadway Star Joined: 7/12/07
#5Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/29/13 at 11:20pmYes, and last year for Dustin Hoffman.
#6Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/29/13 at 11:28pm
Btw, I love me some Sutton Foster, but its getting a bit one note, the stuff Rob Ashford has her do. i just feel like I have seen it all before and I am looking for something new.
I guess it may be Rob Ashford boredom, its kind of always the same and somewhat over danced. I find my eyes rolling... for instance in the recent Sound of Music LIVE! when the Von Trapp Neighbours all manage to do a lovely waltz/ballet combo on the lanaii... for no apparent reason. Was however delighted to NOT SEE Spencer Liff.
#7Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/29/13 at 11:51pmI guess her pottery business in Wisconsin didn't take off.
#8Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/29/13 at 11:54pm
She was wonderful. Apparently, all of the segments were severely truncated from the versions seen live at the taping. The three-plus hours was edited down into a two-hour show including commercials, so basically 50% of the introductions, film tributes and live performances disappeared.
That would make anyone's choreography look bad. It is especially hard on Rob Ashford's.
sephyr
Leading Actor Joined: 11/21/10
#10Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 12:09amKaren was fantastic. I could feel her passion come through the tv screen, especially after the segment was over. I was impressed!
#11Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 12:28amShe has so much talent, it has to be hard not to perform. She was incredible in this, I really would love to see her star in a SWEET CHARITY revival, or anything for that matter, she has "IT." Actually, someone write a show for these women to star together a la NINE, they were all so good.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#12Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 12:42amThe only one I liked was Sutton who had the "Spark" Olivo was OK, Petunia was kinda boing and Anna was just yelling (on pitch, but yelling) But as already stated Ashford's work was incredibly lousy and the editing atrocious. After the Barbara Cook magnificent tribute this was a real let-down. I was hoping to see STEAM HEAT recreated with Sutton and the original choreography. But Rufus Wainwright was the big Hit of the evening for me. The said Shirley's life was all dancing, dancing, dancing. And then there was no good dancing/ And where was Waren Beatty?
#13Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 11:20am
I jumped out of my bed when I saw Karen Olivo. What a great surprise. She was fantastic. The woman is just so talented. I'm begging: Come back to the Broadway stage Karen Olivo, Karen Olivo. You are sorely missed.
Interesting fact about the number Olivo performed. It's the title song of the Broadway musical, "Irma La Douce". Shirley starred in the movie version of the show but all the songs were cut and it was filmed as a straight comedy. Shirley never got to sing the song in the film.
#14Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 11:46am
Karen Olivo sounded absolutely smashing. I hope she comes out retirement eventually. Sutton and Patina were poorly served by the selections, the terrible edits and most damagingly by that God awful choreography.
Rob Ashford must be stopped. That was a celebration of mediocrity. How has this man had such a long career? He makes Debbie Allen look like Jerome Robbins. Someone, anyone -- the ghost of JFK? -- please stop this man.
Liza's Headband
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
#15Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 11:58amBased on her Facebook posts and blog posts throughout the last couple of years in retirement, I do not see Ms. Olivo returning to the "biz" anytime soon..
#16Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 12:34pmThroughout the last couple of years of retirement? It hasn't even been a year. She announced her retirement in March.
Liza's Headband
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
#17Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 12:40pmI meant "the last year." My apologies.
#18Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 12:45pmI think Kathy Bates had something to do with Olivo's appearance on the program.
#19Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 12:57pm
And for anyone who didn't get the chance to read this interview she did just last month I've linked it.
It looks like she's picking and choosing what she participates in on her terms.
The "business" part of show business had an obvious negative impact on her.
"I was amassing this laundry list of things about the industry," Olivo said, "things about being a woman, things about being ethnic, the pay scales, the way the unions work. So many things ... I started to be like, enough injustice, I can't take it anymore."
When she was doing "Murder Ballad" her mother sensed her unhappiness:
She was trying to stretch as an artist, but she found that more difficult to do, and her mental health was suffering. On a visit during her last off-Broadway project, Olivo's mother said she looked miserable.
But she seems to have gotten a handle on things, is in a new committed relationship and is in a much happier place:
"You can do good work anywhere. You just have to have the integrity. And you can have a life — you can have your kids and you can have your backyard and take your summers wherever. You don't have to be in the grind to prove that you're the best."
Karen Olivo Interview
#20Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 6:46pmAfter Sutton was out for her tribute, then Patina, then Karen ... I kept thinking I wanted to see the three of them in a TV broadcast of "Sweet Charity."
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Musicaldudepeter
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/18/10
#21Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 6:57pmSutton would be an awesome Charity - I've always thought this... She has the right amount of charm, goofiness, sexiness and personality to do it justice. (On the same note - Sutton as Roxie, anyone?) Also she'd dance the hell out of Charity... And Olivo as Nickie? Sure!
#22Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 8:24pm
They might not be "stars" in the Carrie Underwood sense and the show might not be a hot, family friendly property, but I, too, would like to see all of them in a Sound of Music style TV event of Sweet Charity.
I mean, is the show REALLY that un-family friendly? I'd really like to see it on TV.
#23Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 12/30/13 at 8:46pm
Sweet Charity deals with adult topics. It does not fall in the category of "family friendly".
One of it's big numbers is entitled "Big Spender". Look up the lyrics. Hardly a "family friendly" song.
In "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" the character of Helene sings:
Check your hat, sir!
Cjeck your coat, sir!
Check your vest, sir!
Check your pants!
Check your socks, sir!
Check your shoes, sir!
I can hold them while you dance
Check your eyes, sir!
Check your ears, sir!
Check and see if you are free
How about it after hours
I'll check you and you'll check me!
I would just love to see the kiddies singing along to that one.
Is "Sweet Charity" family friendly?
You do the math.
Updated On: 12/30/13 at 08:46 PM
#24Karen Olivo on the Kennedy Center Honors
Posted: 1/2/14 at 6:21pm
I'm drawing a blank on why Anna performed It's Not Where You Start. When did Shirley perform that?
Re: Sweet Charity on tv, I'm hoping if this goes on long enough maybe we'll get some non family musicals. Towards the end of the run when the idea is on its last leg. Hopefully this will be one. Though if they need a star for Charity I think Emma Stone could do it. It isn't exactly a singers role and she has the charm for it.
